Folding couch.



D. G. TRAVIS (K; P. BLAGKMBRr FOLDING 000011. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28,1911.

Paten ted Jan. 21, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

D. G. TRAVIS & P. BLAGKMER.

POLDING COUCH.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 28

Patented J an. 21, 1813.

s SHEBTSSHEET 2.

3 SHEET S-SHEET S.

Patented Jan. 21, 1913.

FOLDING OQUGH.

H M H H F M H H H H .H H w M. H a M H H M H M W H: H M W M H H H H H iq H. m H Um U @H H 5km M H H F H H H M W M M M H M H H w H H M k H H M, H H H M H H H H h H H H H H M Q NH m M H H. H H H M\ H H H H M w U Q H M H W W M M HMWMH APPLICATION FILED SBPT.28,19 11.

D. C. TRAVIS & F. BLAGKMEB.

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priirnn sirrrns rarr rich.

DON CARLOS TRAVIS AND FRANK BLACKIVIER, F KENOSHA, W SCONSIN, ASSIG-NORS TIQN 03: WISCONSIN.

T0 SIMMONS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 01" KENQSHA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORA- sonzonvo coves.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, DON CARLOS! TRAVIS and FRANK BLACKMEB, citizens of the United States, residing in the city Kenosha, county of Kenosha, and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Tmproveme/nts in Folding Couches, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements. in couches and refers more particularly to a device of that. character which. when folded may be used as a couch and-when open or extendedmay be employed as a bed.

Among the salient objects of the invention are to provide a construction which when used as a couch has its folded or upper'frame spaced away from and supported above the lower frame, to obtain the desired'height, the space between the two frames of the couch serving to contain or inclose the top mattress and to provide in a construction of theabove character novel means for connecting the respective halves or sections of the metallic mattress; to provide a construction in which the folding legs of the upper T frame are self-locking when the device is in for use as open. position for use as a bed and which are at the same time released and folded out of the way when the structure is closed for use as a couch; to provide a device which is characterized both as to its frame work and operating parts by its simplicity and economy of construction and which devoid of complicated or noisy locking members; and in general to provide improvements in the detEils offconstruction hereinafter more particiilarly pointed out.

Izi'the drawirigg-Figure l is a top plan view of the device shown in folded position i a couch. 2 and 3 are respectively, side and end elevations of the same. l*ig. t is a transverse vertical sectional view. Fig. Sis an end elevation of the couch when in extended or open position. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. Fig. 7 is a detailed view showing one loopfor connecting the two sections of the wire mattress.

Describing first the device when used as a Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented Jan. 21,1.i13.

Application filed September 28, 1911. Serial No. 651,?41.

' couch, 1 and 2 designate as a whole the lower:

upper frame members respectively, to which are secured metallicfabrics 3 and 4: respectively. The lower frame member 1 comprises side rails 5 and 6, and end raiis 7 and 8, the frame as a whole being'supported by legs 9, all of which preferably take the form of angle irons The frame is strengthened by means of braces 10 and 11 and is preferably mounted on casters 12. The lower ends of the legs are also connected by tie straps 13. It will be noted that the'rear legs 9 project a considerable distance above t-he plane of the lower frame to form sup porting posts 9 for the purpose hereinafter described. I

Referring now to the upper frame memher, it is generally similar. in construction having side rails 14 and 15 and end rails 16 and 17. The end rails of the upper member are also formed of angle irons While the side rails are formed from hollow metal rods or pipes. The front side rail 15 is bent downwardly as shown in Fig. 2 in order that it may lie a sustantial distance below. the mattress when the device is in open position for use as a bed. I

The upper frame memberis connected to the lower frame in the following manner: to the rear extensions 9 are pivot-ally connected as shown at 18, one end of a brace link or strap 19, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the front side rail 15 of the upper frame member as shown at 20. To the lower frame is secured by a pivot 21, a supporting link 22 which extends diagonally upwardly and is secured to the upper frame by a pin and slot connection 23. The.

lower ends of these supporting straps 22 extend below the pivots 21 and. engage stops 24-. The arrangement is such that when the upper frame member is in folded position the lower ends of those straps 22 strike against the pins 24 and thus support the front end of the upper member in an obvious manner. The pin and slot connection described permits the upper frame member to swing readily into its open or closed position. The rear end of the upper frame rests 2 rea ers upon the-extensions 9 of therear legs and is supported thereby.

As heretofore stated the upper section when it is in its open position is supported as to its front end by means of legs which move to extended position as the device is opened. Theselegs are pivotally connect d "intermediate their .ends'. shown at 26 to the end rails of the upper frame.

4 that the linlrs and lens above described are springs 33, all in provided with suitable effects in order that they may swing by each other without binding.

When the device is in its open position as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the legs are locked against movement in either direction by means of the brace memlmrs 27, at the same time the arrangement is such-that when the upper section is folded into closed position the brace links 27 as they fold back into their normal position retract legs 25 and fold them down. belowthc planeof the upper mattress. In order that the legs 25 may pass below the upper member when in closed position. they are preferably bent slightly rearwardly as shown. at 25. In a similar manner when the upper section is moved into its open position to form the bed,,the links QZswinr the legs forwardly into substantially vertical position. The construc tion above described is such that. the upper frame member may be manually swung into either of its positions withoutthe necessity of releasing any locking device and at the same time the legs are both automatically locked and. automatically released.

Referring now to the wire mattress, it is preferably formed in two smtions, one for the upper frantic and one for the lower frame member. The wire mattress may of course be of any suitable form, in the pres ent instance comprising long links 31. and connecting cross links 32. lbe ends of the mattress are secured to the end rails by coil well known nianner. The rear edge of the upper half of the mattress is also secured. to the side rail. 14- by a ,plurality of coil springs At the re. 1

the appended claims.

()0 S9 and connecting portion #20; the latter be ing of substantially die-same length as the long links of the mattress. The portions and 39 of these loops extend freely through eyes ll in the lower mattress and are hooked. into similar eyes 42 in the upper mattress. These loops 3? are spaced apart as shown; and when the device is used as a couch, they serve as a mattress guard while at the same time permittiirc the upper half of the wire fabric to be freely depressed. When the upper section is swung into its open position as shown in Fig". 6 these loops serve to connect tie adjacent edges of the wire mattress sections, the closed ends of the loops sliding freely beneath the lower half of the wire mattress. The arrangement is such as to form in effect a single continuousmattress.

The operation of the device is apparent from the foregoing and therefore need not be described. I v

The invention is not limited to the details mstruction shown. except as set forth in lVe claim as our invention: 1. In a device of the character descr1bed,-

the combination with a relatively stationary lower frame member. of supporting legs for the same, a movable upper frame member adapted to be extended into a position alongside the lower frame member or folded above and spaced away from the latter, lens for supporting the tuner f *ame member 190 when in its extended posit-ital, and means for"? supporting; the'upper frame in its folded position comprising posts extending above the rear end of the lower frame member, and links pivotally connected. intermediate their ends to the front of the lower frame member and connected at their upper ends to the movable member by a pin and slot connection, and stops for limiting the movement of the said links when the upper member 15 in its folded position.

In a device of the character described the combination with a lower frame member, of a movable upper frame -me1nber adapted to' be extended into a position alongside of the lower frame member or folded into a position above and spaced away from saidlower frame member, legs for supporting}; the outer end of the upper frame member when in its extended posilion, means carried the-rear end of the ltwcr frame member for supporting the outer end of the upper frame when the latter is folded and means for supporting the rear end of the upper frame in its folded position comprisinglinks pivotally connected to the lower frame and pivot-ally connected the links when the upp'er frame is in folded at their upper ends to the upper frame at posltion.

points on the latter laterally distant from the pivotal connections of the links with the lower frame, whereby said links are inclined rearwardly when the upper frame is Witnesses: in folded position and stops in the lower GUS JACOB, frame adapted to engage the lower part of I J. H. CANTWELL, Jr. 

